Abstract: A phacoemulsification system including a phacoemulsification probe having a probe body, a horn disposed at least partially in the probe body, a needle coupled with the horn and configured to be inserted into an eye, and a piezoelectric actuator disposed in the probe body and configured to vibrate the horn and the needle in a first direction with a stroke length with respect to the probe body; a signal generator configured to generate a drive signal to drive a vibration of the piezoelectric actuator; a stroke measurement apparatus configured to provide indications of the stroke length of the needle over time; and a controller configured to dynamically adjust a frequency of the drive signal so as to maximize the stroke length and maintain mechanical resonance of the needle responsively to the provided indications of the stroke length.

Abstract: A medical procedure system, including a medical instrument to be inserted into a body part, and including position-tracking transducers to provide position signals, a distal end, and at least one radiopaque marker, a position tracking sub-system to compute a position including at least one location and orientation of the distal end in a position-tracking sub-system coordinate frame responsively to the position signals, a fluoroscope to capture fluoroscopic images of an interior of the body part and the radiopaque marker(s), and a registration sub-system to render, to a display, the captured fluoroscopic images including at least one marker-image of the radiopaque marker(s), and at least one graphical representation indicative of the computed position of the distal end, receive user-alignment input aligning the graphical representation(s) with the marker-image(s), and register the position-tracking sub-system coordinate frame with a coordinate frame of the fluoroscope responsively to the received user-alignmen

Abstract: A method includes receiving multiple electrophysiological (EP) signals acquired by multiple electrodes of a multi-electrode catheter that are in contact with tissue in a region of a cardiac chamber, and respective tissue locations at which the electrodes acquired the EP signals. The region is divided into two sections. Using the EP signals acquired by the electrodes, local activation times (LAT) are calculated for the respective tissue locations, and found are: a first section of the two sections having a smaller average LAT value, and a second section of the two sections having a higher average value. Determined are a first representative location in the first section, and a second representative location in the second section. A propagation vector is calculated between the first and second representative locations, that is indicative of propagation of an EP wave that has generated the EP signals. The propagation vector is presented to a user.

Abstract: In one embodiments, a phacoemulsification apparatus includes a phacoemulsification probe including a horn, a needle mounted in the horn and configured for insertion into a lens capsule of a human eye, and a piezoelectric actuator configured to vibrate the horn and the needle and having a resonant frequency, a signal generator configured to generate a drive signal to drive a vibration of the piezoelectric actuator, phase detection circuitry configured to measure a phase difference between: a voltage across the piezoelectric actuator, and a current flowing through the piezoelectric actuator in response to the drive signal, and a controller configured to adjust a frequency of the drive signal so as to minimize the measured phase difference, whereby the piezoelectric actuator vibrates at the resonant frequency.

Abstract: A system includes signal acquisition circuitry and a processor. The signal acquisition circuitry is configured to receive multiple intra-cardiac signals acquired by multiple electrodes of an intra-cardiac probe in a heart of a patient. The processor is configured to perform a sequence of annotation-visualization operations at subsequent times, by performing, in each operation: extracting multiple annotation values from the intra-cardiac signals, selecting a group of the intra-cardiac signals, identifying in the group one or more annotation values that are statistically deviant by more than a predefined measure of deviation, and visualizing the annotation values to a user, while omitting and refraining from visualizing the statistically deviant annotation values.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes a catheter including an insertion tube and a first position sensor, a pusher including a second position sensor, and an expandable assembly including flexible strips disposed circumferentially around a distal portion of the pusher, with first ends of the strips connected to the distal end of the insertion tube and second ends of the strips connected to the distal portion of the pusher, the flexible strips bowing radially outward when the pusher is retracted, processing circuitry to receive a respective position signal from the first and second position sensors, compute location and orientation coordinates for the position sensors subject to a constraint that the position sensors are coaxial and have a same orientation, compute a distance between the computed location coordinates of the position sensors, and find position coordinates of the flexible strips responsively to at least the computed distance.

Abstract: A system includes a processor and a display. The processor is configured to: (a) receive, from a camera inserted into an eye of a patient, at least an optical image of at least a region-of-interest (ROI) of the eye, (b) receive, from a position tracking system (PTS), a position signal indicative of a position of a medical instrument treating the eye, (c) register the optical image and the PTS in a common coordinate system, and (d) estimate the position of the medical instrument in the optical image. The display is configured to visualize at least the ROI and the medical instrument.

Abstract: A phacoemulsification system having an imaging device configured to capture images of an eye and a phacoemulsification probe, a display, and a processor configured to receive an eye scan result providing a two-dimensional array of cataract thicknesses of the eye, find cutlines through which to cut the cataract into sections responsively to the two-dimensional array of cataract thicknesses, and render the images of the eye and the phacoemulsification probe with representations of the found cutlines through which to cut the cataract into sections to the display.

Abstract: Methods and systems provide provides a vacuum surge protection system or an Anti-Vacuum Surge (AVS) module and a console-side connector that form an energy (power) and/or data transfer system, which passes the energy and/or data using a magnetic field, via non-contact magnetic induction, between the console-side connector and the AVS module. The AVS module typically powers a medical tool, such as a phacoemulsification handpiece, for ophthalmic procedures, such as cataract removal.

Abstract: A method for electrophysiological assessment, including acquiring electrical signals from locations of a region of ablated tissue in a heart chamber, and deriving from the signals respective annotations, which are indicative of times within a heart cycle at which a conduction wave traversed the locations. The method includes identifying a first location, at a first distance from the region, where the electrical signals include a double-potential signal, having first and second annotations at different times within the heart cycle, and identifying, in proximity to the first location, a second location, at a second distance from the region, greater than the first distance, where the electrical signals have a third annotation. The method further includes selecting one of the first and second annotations that is closest to the third annotation as a valid annotation for the first location, and displaying the valid annotation on an electroanatomical map of the heart.

Abstract: A system includes a jig and a processor. The jig includes a pressure wave damping element under test, and a sensor that is coupled with an aspiration line of a phacoemulsification system distally to the pressure wave damping element, the sensor configured to measure a pressure wave traveling distally in the aspiration line. The processor is coupled with the jig, the processor configured to analyze and display readings of the sensor, so as to allow a user to assess pressure wave damping performance of the pressure wave damping element.

Abstract: A sinuplasty tool, consisting of a handle, and a rigid tube, containing a rigid tube lumen, having a rigid tube distal end and a rigid tube proximal end connected to the handle. The tool also has a resilient tube, containing a resilient tube lumen, having a resilient tube distal end and a resilient tube proximal end fixed to the rigid tube distal end so that the lumens align. The resilient tube has a multiplicity of separated openings partially encircling the resilient tube so as to form ribs in the resilient tube and permitting the resilient tube to bend. The resilient tube distal end may be inserted into a sinus of a living subject. The tool also has a wire, traversing the aligned lumens, connected to the resilient tube distal end and coupled to the handle, so that applying tension to the wire causes the resilient tube to bend.

Abstract: A system (11) includes a medical probe (36) for insertion into a cavity of an organ, which includes a position and direction sensor (60) and a camera (45), both operating in a sensor coordinate system (62). The system further includes a processor (44) configured to: receive, from an imaging system (21) operating in an image coordinate system (28), a three-dimensional image of the cavity including open space and tissue; receive, from the medical probe, signals indicating positions and respective directions of the medical probe inside the cavity; receive, from the camera, respective visualized locations inside the cavity; register the image coordinate system with the sensor coordinate system so as to identify one or more voxels in the image at the visualized locations, and when the identified voxels have density values in the received image that do not correspond to the open space, to update the density values of the identified voxels to correspond to the open space.

Abstract: A system includes: (a) a switching unit including: (i) first sockets, which are configured to connect between the switching unit and channels of one or more catheters, (ii) second sockets, which are configured to connect, via the switching unit, between the first sockets and a console, and (iii) a switch, which is configured, based on a control signal, to route signals conducted in the channels, between the first and second sockets, and (b) circuitry, which is configured, based on information received from the one or more catheters, to produce the control signal for routing of the signals.

Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, an automated probe system includes a probe configured to be reversibly inserted into a live body part, a robotic arm attached to the probe and configured to manipulate the probe, a first sensor configured to track movement of the probe during an insertion and a reinsertion of the probe in the live body part, a second sensor configured to track movement of the live body part, and a controller configured to calculate an insertion path of the probe in the live body part based on the tracked movement of the probe during the insertion, and calculate a reinsertion path of the probe based on the calculated insertion path while compensating for the tracked movement of the live body part, and send control commands to the robotic arm to reinsert the probe in the live body part according to the calculated reinsertion path.

Abstract: A method for medical diagnosis, consisting of receiving electrophysiological data including first intracardiac electrogram (IEGM) signals acquired by a first pair of electrodes having a first intracardiac electrode. The data includes second IEGM signals acquired by a second pair of electrodes having a second intracardiac electrode in proximity to the first intracardiac electrode. The first and second IEGM signals are input to a first convolutional layer of a neural network and a second convolutional layer parallel to the first convolutional layer in the neural network to generate respective first and second interim results. The first and second interim results are input into one or more common layers of the neural network. The method includes receiving from an output layer of the neural network, responsively to inputting the first and second interim results, an indication of a local activation time at a location of the first and second intracardiac electrodes.

Abstract: A medical apparatus includes a probe configured for insertion into a body of a patient. The probe includes electrodes configured to contact tissue of a region within the body. The apparatus further includes a display screen, a position-tracking system configured to acquire position coordinates of the electrodes within the body, and a processor. The processor is configured to acquire electrophysiological signals from the electrodes while they are held stationary in the region, extract electrophysiological parameters from the signals, compute a measure of consistency of the parameters, and render to the display screen a three-dimensional (3D) map of the tissue while superimposing on the map, responsively to the position coordinates, a visual indication of the extracted parameters at the locations for which the measure of consistency satisfied a consistency criterion, and automatically discarding from the map the parameters for which the measure of consistency did not satisfy the consistency criterion.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for mapping and displaying three dimensional surgical pathways within imaging of cranial structures derived from voxels of a cranial scan. Entry voxel and target voxel are selected as pathway endpoints. A series of respective neighbor voxels are mapped between the entry voxel and the target voxel to define a pathway. For each voxel Vxi,yi,zi in the series, an immediately succeeding voxel of voxel Vxi,yi,zi is selected from among the group of neighbor voxel of voxel Vxi,yi,zi which excludes neighbor voxels of the immediately preceding voxel of voxel Vxi,yi,zi. The selection is made by comparing selection weights determined based on relative distances with respect to the endpoint voxels and relative distance from voxels within a predetermined distance that represent at least a threshold density. The voxels of the pathway are then selectively highlighted in a displayed view to provide a visualization of the 3D surgical pathway.

Abstract: A catheter calibration system includes a calibration chamber, a receiver and a processor. The calibration chamber is configured to generate a calibration magnetic field that oscillates at a first frequency. The calibration chamber includes a cavity for inserting a distal end of a catheter having one or more magnetic-field sensors. The receiver is configured to be connected to the catheter, to receive from the catheter one or more signals, which are generated by the one or more magnetic-field sensors in response to the calibration magnetic field, and to convert the one or more signals into one or more respective intermediate frequency (IF) signals having a second frequency that is lower than the first frequency. The processor is configured to receive the one or more IF signals from the receiver and to calculate catheter navigation calibration data from the one or more IF signals.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a medical system includes a medical instrument includes an elongated shaft having a distal end, at least one cutting element disposed at a distal end of the shaft, a position-tracking transducer disposed at the distal end of the shaft, and electrically insulated from the shaft and the at least one cutting element, and at least one metal coagulation electrode disposed at least partially over the position-tracking transducer, which electrically isolates the at least one metal coagulation electrode from the shaft, a signal generator coupled to apply an electrical current to the at least one metal coagulation electrode, and processing circuitry configured to receive signals generated by the position-tracking transducer, and track a location of the distal end responsively to the received signals.